Man dies weeks after apparent beating

Published: Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 6:34 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 12:00 a.m.

A 66-year-old man suffering from dementia and schizophrenia who had been hospitalized in December due to what was described as broken bones in his face from a beating has died, according to sheriff's and State Attorney's Office officials.

Robert Watts was released from a hospital on Wednesday and went home. He died Thursday at his Reddick home.

Sheriff's detectives are now investigating whether or not his injuries had anything to do with his death or if he died naturally.

Assistant State Attorney Robin Arnold said Friday an autopsy has to be done on Watts, and her office has not reviewed the case with the Sheriff's Office. Detectives, she said, will conduct their investigation into the matter before any decisions are made.

If that investigation shows Watts' death was a homicide, then charges against the man's nephew, Samuel J. “Bubba” Bing, arrested for aggravated domestic battery against the elderly or disabled, will more than likely be elevated.

On Dec. 7, Bing, 25, of Reddick, had been watching Watts for the day while his legal guardian went to Tampa, authorities said. When Watts' guardian saw him the next morning, the right side of his face was badly swollen and his right eye was swollen shut.

She asked Bing if he had hit the man. She said that as he headed out of the room, he told her, “Yeah, I hit him.”

At the hospital, a nurse told sheriff's officials that Watts was not speaking and when he would wake up, he would cry. Because of his dementia, deputies could not interview Watts.

According to the report, Bing had agreed to meet with a deputy, but then didn't show up. A warrant was then issued for his arrest.

Bing was captured by the Sheriff's Office's Fugitive Apprehension Unit on Jan. 6 in Reddick and taken to the Marion County Jail on his warrant.

In an interview with the Star-Banner at the jail hours after his apprehension, Bing said he never met with deputies because “it was to give them something to do.” He then said he was going to turn himself in, but didn't know when.

At the time, he would not comment on whether or not he struck the victim, but added, “Mistakes happen. I was in a messed up situation.”

He said, “I was alone with him. I took care of him. (Expletive) happens and you got to learn from it. I'm sorry for what happened. If I could take it back, I would.”

In Friday's interview, Bing said that he hit Watts, but he said it wasn't malicious.

“He got in one his moods like he didn't want to do anything, and he has a history of falling. He fell, and I was trying to get him up. He bit my finger and I hit him once. I don't think I hit him hard,” Bing said.

State records shows Bing has served time in prison for drug possession, armed burglary and grand theft and has been released since November 2011.

Bing said he and his two sisters were adopted, and that Watts has had dementia and schizophrenia for a while.

“He's been like that for a long time,” he said.

Smiling, Bing said he remembers the good times he spent with Watts. Some examples given by Bing were the two of them watching movies at the house with each other, and how Watts tried to dance while at a party.

“He would give me toys. He was there for me,” Bing said.

Asked if he had told his aunt that he had hit Watts, Bing said yes. He said she went to visit cousins in Tampa and he was there at the house taking care of Watts.

“I've never turned her down,” he said about his aunt if she asked him to take care of his uncle.

No one from the Watts family could be reached for comment.

Bing said he didn't meet with law enforcement officials at the time because he was nervous, scared and didn't know what to do.

While he doesn't think he has anything to do with his uncle's death, he's preparing himself for the next step.

<p>A 66-year-old man suffering from dementia and schizophrenia who had been hospitalized in December due to what was described as broken bones in his face from a beating has died, according to sheriff's and State Attorney's Office officials.</p><p>Robert Watts was released from a hospital on Wednesday and went home. He died Thursday at his Reddick home.</p><p>Sheriff's detectives are now investigating whether or not his injuries had anything to do with his death or if he died naturally.</p><p>Assistant State Attorney Robin Arnold said Friday an autopsy has to be done on Watts, and her office has not reviewed the case with the Sheriff's Office. Detectives, she said, will conduct their investigation into the matter before any decisions are made.</p><p>If that investigation shows Watts' death was a homicide, then charges against the man's nephew, Samuel J. “Bubba” Bing, arrested for aggravated domestic battery against the elderly or disabled, will more than likely be elevated.</p><p>On Dec. 7, Bing, 25, of Reddick, had been watching Watts for the day while his legal guardian went to Tampa, authorities said. When Watts' guardian saw him the next morning, the right side of his face was badly swollen and his right eye was swollen shut.</p><p>She asked Bing if he had hit the man. She said that as he headed out of the room, he told her, “Yeah, I hit him.”</p><p>At the hospital, a nurse told sheriff's officials that Watts was not speaking and when he would wake up, he would cry. Because of his dementia, deputies could not interview Watts.</p><p>According to the report, Bing had agreed to meet with a deputy, but then didn't show up. A warrant was then issued for his arrest.</p><p>Bing was captured by the Sheriff's Office's Fugitive Apprehension Unit on Jan. 6 in Reddick and taken to the Marion County Jail on his warrant.</p><p>In an interview with the Star-Banner at the jail hours after his apprehension, Bing said he never met with deputies because “it was to give them something to do.” He then said he was going to turn himself in, but didn't know when.</p><p>At the time, he would not comment on whether or not he struck the victim, but added, “Mistakes happen. I was in a messed up situation.”</p><p>He said, “I was alone with him. I took care of him. (Expletive) happens and you got to learn from it. I'm sorry for what happened. If I could take it back, I would.”</p><p>In Friday's interview, Bing said that he hit Watts, but he said it wasn't malicious.</p><p>“He got in one his moods like he didn't want to do anything, and he has a history of falling. He fell, and I was trying to get him up. He bit my finger and I hit him once. I don't think I hit him hard,” Bing said.</p><p>State records shows Bing has served time in prison for drug possession, armed burglary and grand theft and has been released since November 2011.</p><p>Bing said he and his two sisters were adopted, and that Watts has had dementia and schizophrenia for a while.</p><p>“He's been like that for a long time,” he said.</p><p>Smiling, Bing said he remembers the good times he spent with Watts. Some examples given by Bing were the two of them watching movies at the house with each other, and how Watts tried to dance while at a party.</p><p>“He would give me toys. He was there for me,” Bing said.</p><p>Asked if he had told his aunt that he had hit Watts, Bing said yes. He said she went to visit cousins in Tampa and he was there at the house taking care of Watts.</p><p>“I've never turned her down,” he said about his aunt if she asked him to take care of his uncle.</p><p>No one from the Watts family could be reached for comment.</p><p>Bing said he didn't meet with law enforcement officials at the time because he was nervous, scared and didn't know what to do.</p><p>While he doesn't think he has anything to do with his uncle's death, he's preparing himself for the next step.</p><p>“If it's my fault, I'll ask for forgiveness,” Bing said.</p>